The lovely eco-cabin retreat “House on Wheels” was commissioned by a yoga teacher from Glasgow and designed and built by Echo Living in their workshop in Scotland. It was then shipped to a remote site on the island of Crete, and the little, off-grid hideaway now sits amongst the olive trees and opens up to reveal a beautiful spruce-lined living space, with stunning sea views.
The building was designed to fit its site with minimal environmental impact and to satisfy local planning requirement that stipulated that the building should be on wheels. Measurements were taken to plot the position of the ancient trees, and the little cabin was designed to sit between them, and also to fit the dimensions of a single lorry for the trip to Crete. Transferred onto a Hiab for the final leg of the journey down dusty, single-track roads, it was finally craned into place between three ancient olive trees. Members of Echo Living’s team installed the building, overseeing its delivery and installation, and putting the finishing touches to the interior and exterior.
The eco cabin has a minimal aesthetic and is off grid; it is powered by solar panels and is heated on cool evenings and during the increasingly snowy, winter months by a small wood burning stove. The discreet double bed space is on a raised platform and has its own little wardrobe, a built-in bedside table with reading light and view to the sea. Above the window wall, a floating roof detail, with flaps running the length of the building, provide extra ventilation; the flaps are held open by small weights made from local stone.
The interior is lined in spruce timber panels and has a natural finish and the floor finish is timber and tiles. The living area has a built-in seating area with a skylight above and large storage drawers beneath the fireplace The stove and flue sit on a slate hearth in front of a tiled upright which separates the small bed space from the sitting area and has shelving to the bed side. The tiles are the client’s own and were reclaimed from a Glasgow tenement.
Open shelving and the hand-built, compact kitchen are suspended in front of the large windows; a timber wall to the side of the kitchen pivots open to extend the space onto the adjacent decking. The kitchen unit houses a 12v fridge and lighting is 12v LED. A Water pipe comes to the cabin from the nearby village supply.
The main entrance door leads into the rear of the building kitchen. Oak chopping board hangs on custom pegs. The yoga teacher’s ornate handle was incorporated into the design.
Clad in white composite cladding with an etched surface pattern, the little house on wheels comprises two separate buildings.
The main living accommodation is linked to the shower room and composting toilet by a timber walkway.
To the front, double sliding doors open onto timber decking for indoor-outdoor living and cooling breezes.
Nestling in the olive grove under its dappled shade, the little white cabin echoes the buildings in the village on the hills above.
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The main entrance door leads into the rear of the building kitchen. Oak chopping board hangs on custom pegs. The yoga teacher’s ornate handle was incorporated into the design.
